


Handbook

by Cejes



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Future, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, List included, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:01:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23981239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cejes/pseuds/Cejes
Summary: Draco writes a manual. About Harry (and their relationship).
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 158





	Handbook

**Author's Note:**

> Good morning/evening and everything in between to you! I hope you are well and enjoy the story. :-)

_21.05.2007_

_ Entry 1 _

Draco stared at the book. Odd. After years of being in a relationship with one Harry Potter, and living with him, he got to get to know him very well. Sometimes he even wondered how both of them were still alive –or more important: still together. There had been more than one argument but somehow Draco felt confident in their feelings for each other.

Softly sighing he toyed with the pen in his hand. He came into the habit of using Muggle pens more and more than quills. They were practical. It was as simple as that.

So, he’d got this book. Only blanc pages and nothing really to write into. But it had been in his book shelf for years now and he finally thought it time to write in.

  * _Waking up before 6 in the morning: Only inquired when necessary. Otherwise Harry tends to be cranky all day._



Draco stared. It was as good as a first entry could be. And it was true. Harry seemed to have a special aversion against waking up too early when it wasn’t work related. Draco smirked. Sometimes when he was bored and in a particular good mood he liked to explore what it took to wake Harry and still making sure to keep him in a good mood.

  * _When not drinking coffee in the morning, Harry tends to not to talk._
  * _Harry equals more of a sleepwalker after waking up. Sometimes he forgets his glasses and almost hits everything on his way to the kitchen (with getting to know the house it got better and less frequent)._
  * _Coffee had to be black, no sugar, absolutely no cream._



That was one he didn’t quite understand. Coffee was a travesty coming from the US. It tasted bitter and like it would it suck out your very soul. No, Draco himself swore on black tea in the morning.

  * _Make sure to always have something eatable at hand. Harry tends to skip a meal when not being watched._



This was something Draco really had to get used to. After one year and a few months of being in their relationship he wondered and scolded Harry for not taking care of himself. Harry always ignored him, telling Draco that it was none of his business and that he should be careful or. After one particularly bad argument where Harry decided to sleep in Granger’s spare room rather than together in their bed, the witch came over to him, with alcohol in one hand (something Draco couldn’t have imagined before) and talked to him about Harry’s upbringing. It got better afterwards, but Draco guessed Harry would never be ready to rely on him absolutely and always be doing what he was doing. So Draco had to be subtle, show him that he cared deeply. (There was a chance of 90 percent that Harry knew what he was doing but never said anything. It could be because of Grangers’ wrath; she was one hell of a scary woman. Not that he would _ever_ tell her this.)

  * _Cuddling in the evening is alright. Sometimes even required._



It took him weeks to realise that something had been missing. Showing affections in public was strange, while holding hands specified Draco’s limits of pda (short for “public display of affection” or some shit, Harry tried to explain Muggles to Draco before and some inventions where bloody brilliant others… weren’t), kissing when being on their own without being watched was more than welcome.

Draco didn’t understand why he should cuddle with Harry after a long day either, but then he got more and more used to it and in between (without him noticing) he even started to like and appreciate it. It was best on a lazy day or when coming home after stressful hours at work. (He wondered if his parents ever hold themselves like he did with Harry. Then he thought about how his father would think about his son being together with the boy who lived. Afterwards he chided himself and tried to never think of it again.)

  * _Check for reporters. (Even when going somewhere on your own.)_
  * _Fan clubs are a cruelty no one else really gets except for the ones concerned. (Harry detests them, I learn why. I had to revert to (mild) bodily harm more than once.)_
  * _Everybody knows you when you associate with Harry. There is no escape. (Expect the need for nerves of steel.)_



Self-explanatory.

* * *

“Draco? What are you doing?” Draco looked up, relaxing at seeing Harry alone; without Granger or Weasley. They agreed on a truce of sorts. For Harrys sake more than because they liked each other suddenly, but neither of them wanted to let go of Harry. Admittingly Draco got along with them better than he ever did and Granger, the former know it all, surprised him with her comebacks (which made getting along easier). Still.

Harry looked tired, a bag over his shoulder and there was ink on his cheek. He debated about telling Harry and decided against it. He looked _cute_. Draco shuddered when he caught himself thinking it and pondered about how much had changed in the last years. He became soft, but then again… Only Harry saw it.

“You look tired.” He frowned. There were deep bags under Harry’s eyes. “When was the last time you slept properly?”

“And you’re dodging my question.” Harry looked at him meaningfully.

“I’m showing it to you later. Come here,” he said, with one hand reaching out to his boyfriend who took it and made a small, startled noise when being showed onto his lap. “Missed you.”

“It was just a week, Draco,” Harry scoffed but pulled him in an embrace nevertheless. “The children were terrible.”

“You aren’t complaining, are you? Oh great saviour of us all?” he mocked and enjoyed holding the other against himself.

“Never. You know what’s worse?” He didn’t wait for Draco to answer. “Parents. I _hate_ parents, think they know everything, better than me and always questioned me. 'Are you sure you’re allowed to do this on your own? Don’t you need your mentor to be here with you?' What am I? Some bloody newbie?” He rolled his eyes so hard it had to hurt.

  * _One week away and having to endure parents without being able to complain is toxic. It requires a good meal and some alone time to lighten Harry’s mood._



“Let’s get you something to eat him. You look skinny.” Poking Harry in the chest to prove his point was trickier than you would think. Ignoring the clever remarks Harry throw his way, he stood up and took Harry along with him, not able to withstand the urge to tweak Harry’s ass. How he had _missed_ this.

  * _Being apart from each other for a week or more is a warrant for an interesting night or even more. (Remember: Harry doesn’t like his scars to be touched. At any time.)_



Within the week his list grew. Sometimes a new item came to him when watching Harry, spending time with him or just when going along with his days. If he didn’t have his book with him, he tried to remember it and to write it down as soon as he was back home and had a chance to do it.

  * _Harry isn’t able to start eating before everybody else started._
    * _To-do-list: have a long overdue chat with Harry’s blasted Muggle family_



This one startled Draco to his bones. Meeting the Weasley-Granger household every second month for dinner, Draco noticed Harry not eating and watched him closely for any signs of illness or something similar. It was first when Mrs. Weasley (“How often do I have to tell you to call me Molly?”) came and sat down and started to eat that Harry grabbed for his cutlery and started himself. After that Draco began to observe more of this behaviour. Harry would make sure that everyone was eating and not start a second before being sure that everyone was there and had something on their plate. He did it very subtle but Draco was a master in spotting subtleties.

  * _Harry laughs at the simplest things and Draco loves watching his face shine with wonder and happiness._
  * _Harry absolutely loves his job and the children adore him._
  * _Harry just has dimples when he laughs (only when it’s real and more so when it’s directed at me)._



Draco got this one when he came home, later than usual, and found a new picture sticking on their fridge (another Muggle thing, this one he liked instantly). Sticking pictures and other stuff on it with little magnetic _things_ on the other hand… It took a bit to convince Draco that it could be useful… He still didn’t quite get the appeal of it.

“It’s from Mary,” Harry told him, after placing a soft kiss on his neck. “It’s some sort of ship, I guess. Music?” He already turned around and pressed a little button on another Muggle device.

  * _A day without music is a dark day in the life of Harry Potter._
  * _Depending on which music was playing, I can tell Harry’s mood._
  * _Harry is wonderful patient when explaining Muggle stuff to you._



The _internet_ (with a capital “I”, Draco wasn’t sure) was something Harry introduced to him quite soon. It was on a little box (“Device, Draco, it’s a device not box, like a phone or computer.”) and everybody could use it, but you couldn’t touch it and it was full of wonders but terrible overwhelming. Draco _adored_ it.

Harry especially was fond of a site named “YouTube” and when he was home, he listened to all kinds of music with it. Draco thought it could be practical.

* * *

“Tell me this secret of yours,” Harry mumbled a few weeks later, late at night. They looked television, a glass of wine for each of them and Draco moved his hand up and down on Harry’s back. If Harry would be a cat, he would be purring by now. Draco was still unsure how he felt about the moving pictures in a box, needing electricity. Talking and so similar and not to a magical picture that Draco was sure that the inventor had been a Squib.

“I’m writing a handbook,” Draco said, watching closely how Harry reacted. He stocked, looked up, then turned slightly and rested his chin on Draco’s shoulder.

“About what?” There was an adorable frown on his face and Draco nuzzled Harry’s nose. It should be forbitten to look like this.

“You,” he answered bluntly and smirked when Harry blinked a few times.

“Er… Me? What? Er, _why_?”

“They need to know how to handle you when I’m not around. It’s impossible without a manual,” he said with a mean/fond smile. “I thought about selling it. I bet I would be rich.”

Harry punched him. “You’re the one who is impossible.”

  * _Harry finds it easier to open up when drunk._
  * _Harry would every now and then wake up, sweating, screaming, trembling and shut down for hours. It is possible that you’ll find him_ _outside, with Harry unwilling to go inside for hours because he felt trapped._
  * _Other times he would seek comfort in my embrace and cry silently. He would never mention it the next morning._
    * _A good night’s rest is easier to assume after a relaxing evening_
  * _Mood swings. Prepare yourself if you ever have to face them. My advice is not to back off, it’s a matter of respect._
  * _Take your relationship serious. Because Harry surprises you every now and then and shows you what he is unable (or let’s say not comfortable with) to express._
    * _It takes two for a relationship and both of use had a lot to learn. Trust is now one of my favourite things._
    * _Complement each other. Harry isn’t allowed near one of my cauldrons ever. He is too impatient when brewing and so screws it up. Even the simpler potions where I’m not sure how he does it…_
  * _When eating strawberries Harry takes only one half before eating the other._



* * *

  * _Harry is a stubborn human being._



“Do you let me read it?”

“Probably.”

  * _Harry is cranky when sick and doesn’t take any advice. When not waiting until Harry gets worse enough to shut the fuck up, you should expect a so-called cold shoulder and some pretty creative insults._



“Did you ever see yourself, when you catch a cold?” Harry asked after telling him to shut up and reading out loud the entry. He crossed his arms and looked at him darkly. “You are an _asshole_.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

“ _Sure_.”

“You love me.”

“Hm.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. That's it. :-) (Any idea what Harry's Job is?) Let me know what you think.
> 
> English isn't my first language, so in case you found any mistakes and think them worth mentioning, let me know. ;-)


End file.
